Christian meditation is not simply a matter of introspection and reflection seeking inner peace, but rather a method of prayer, a means of seeking and encountering Jesus Christ, above all in the mysteries of his earthly life written in the gospel. While there are many methods of meditation in the Church’s rich spiritual tradition, all have a single aim: to enable us to grow in our relationship with Jesus, to experience and draw close to him. Meditation is uniquely centered on encountering Jesus Christ through Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Key points from Pope Francis’ catechesis:
- The purpose of Christian meditation: “For a Christian, to ‘meditate’ is to seek meaning: it implies placing oneself before the immense page of Revelation to try to make it our own, assuming it completely.”
- The uniqueness of Christian meditation: “The great door through which the prayer of a baptized person passes — let us remind ourselves once again — is Jesus Christ.”
- The role of the Holy Spirit: “Christian meditation is not possible without the Holy Spirit. It is he who guides us to the encounter with Jesus Christ.”
- Meditation methods: “The methods of meditation are paths to travel in order to arrive at the encounter with Jesus, but if you stop on the road, and just look at the path, you will never find Jesus.”
- On the personal nature of Christian meditation: “There is no page of the Gospel in which there is no place for us. For us Christians, meditating is a way to encounter Jesus. And in this way, only in this way, we rediscover ourselves.”
- The transformative power of Christian meditation: “We too are healed by prayer just as the blind Bartimaeus was healed… We too rose again, as Lazarus rose again, because prayer of meditation guided by the Holy Spirit leads us to relive these mysteries of the life of Christ and to encounter Christ.”
This catechesis emphasizes the Christ-centered nature of Christian meditation, the essential role of the Holy Spirit, and the transformative power of encountering Jesus through Scripture and prayer.
You are invited to meditate on the story of blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52, to enter into the story, to encounter Christ, and to say with the blind man, “Lord, have pity on me! Have pity on me!” — “And what do you want?” — “To see, to enter into that dialogue”.
Read Pope Francis’ Catechesis on prayer: 31. Meditation
The Catechism teaches that meditation on the mysteries of Christ deepens our faith, prompts the conversion of our hearts, and strengthens our will to follow in his footsteps (cf. No. 2708). Our Lord’s every word and action can thus touch us and become a part of our own lives. On every page of the Gospel we are invited to encounter Christ and to discover in him the source of our salvation and our true happiness.